Monday, 7 March 2016

Title: A Jersey Affair (The Jersey Scene Book 2)

Author: Georgina Troy

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Purchased

Publisher: Accent Press

Publication Date: 17th March 2015

Rating: 4 Stars

When shoe designer Paige Bingham is jilted at the altar, she decides to enjoy her honeymoon-for-one in Sorrento. What she doesn't expect is to meet mysterious entrepreneur, Sebastian Fielding, when she arrives. He helps ease the sting of rejection as he introduces her to the ancient sites he knows and loves. Unfortunately, soon after Paige returns home to Jersey, she discovers that Sebastian's company is taking over the struggling store where her business is based... How can Paige stop her fledgling business from going under? And what can she do to fight the gossip now that the paparazzi have published their untruths about 'A Jersey Affair'?

I can't help feel that its a bit weird that I had a far better sense and liking for Sorrento which wasn't the main location for the book, then I did about Jersey, where the rest of the story is set, and the island that lends its name to the title of the book. I loved the opening in Sorrento and Paige's initial meeting and outings with Sebastian Fielding. Paige was in Sorrento, by herself on what should have been her honeymoon, and is also a talented shoe-designer who has a concession in a big department store back in Jersey. Sebastian however is working for a company that is taking over the department store, and means that Paige could lose her outlet and possibly business. Paige lives next door to her best friend Olly, who is going out with her sister Clem. We see a lot of the Clem and Olly storyline, and get to know them really well, in addition to Paige and Sebastian. Sebastian is a bit of a minor celebrity, or at least a person of interest to the press, and Paige is very concerned, on discovering this information about the potential press intrusion if she had a relationship with Sebastian.

I really enjoyed the story, although in places I felt it was a bit sluggish, overall there were far more positives. As I got to know Sebastian more, I was liking him more and more. He is certainly a character with hidden depths, and is also determined to do what he wants. A Jersey Affair works easily as a standalone, as it focuses on completely different characters to the first book. I definitely preferred A Jersey Affair to A Jersey Kiss, and can't help but think that was Georgina Troy writes more in this series, the writing and stories will just get better and better. Thank you to everyone who voted this week, it was very close, and I am pleased that A Jersey Affair was the winner. It may have taken me years before I found the time to read it, despite liking the first book in the series, so this was just the push I needed. Please do all take a look at the vote this week, and also check out my running giveaways as they include book 3 in the Jersey Scene series - A Jersey Dreamboat.